August 17, 2018 2:43pm EDTAugust 17, 2018 2:43pm EDTrankingsWith the preseason here and the real 2018 NFL draft well in the rearview, how should rate rookies when going into your fantasy football draft? Vinnie Iyer updates his rankings to help owners spot top-tier young talent and first-year sleepers.Royce Freeman(Denver Broncos)

There were a ton of talented offensive skill players taken in the 2018 NFL draft. That means a lot more rookies will have a big impact on fantasy football this season -- and in future seasons for those in dynasty leagues.

While the quarterbacks dominated the real first round, they're hard to include when stacking the fantasy draft board. And it doesn't matter where a player was drafted for real and what he did in college — it's all about talent being raised to match new opportunity now.

Move over Alvin Kamara, Kareem Hunt, Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey. Here comes a buzzy new crop of runners and receivers to generate new hype. But here's cutting through it all for updated rankings of the top fantasy football rookies for '18:

2018 Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings

1. Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants

Barkey is an explosive, versatile immediate feature option who will dominate touches in an improved Giants' offense. He should go in the first round of fanasy drafts, regardless of format. Draft Barkley as an RB1.

2. Royce Freeman, RB, Broncos

Devontae Booker may end up being the default veteran starter, but he's also proved he's not meant for big volume and Freeman is built to provide more burst in the zone-blocking running game. It feels like a just a matter of time before Freeman gets heavy touches.. Draft Freeman as a late RB2.

3. Kerryon Johnson, RB, Lions

LeGarrette Blount is an old back and Ameer Abdullah has faded hard. Theo Riddick still holds down third down, but Johnson has some receiving pop as well as being able to make the power split between Blount tilt more toward him soon. Draft Johnson as an early RB3.

4. Rashaad Penny, RB, Seahawks

There is legitimate concern that the surprise real first-rounder can't seem to get ahead of coaching favorite Chris Carson for the early-down work, and either is in line to cede the early-down snaps to C.J. Prosise. Penny's pedigree, plus some durability concerns for Carson and Prosise, still give him high upside. Draft Penny as an early RB3.

5. Ronald Jones II, RB, Buccaneers

Jones' stock is steadily on the rise given he can do a little of everything for a backfield that has Peyton Barber, Jacquizz Rodgers and Charles Sims as its meh holdover options after partying ways with Doug Martin. Jones can clear a path to key touches quickly in an offense that has some passing firepower. Draft Jones as a RB3.

6. Sony Michel, RB, Patriots

New England drafted him to make up for the loss of Dion Lewis in free agency, but early, MIchel needs to fight off both Rex Burkhead and James White to get on the field enough as either a runner or receiver to have an immediate statistical impact. Talent wise, he's too dynamic to think the Patriots won't think of ways to get him on the field often, especially with questions at wideout. Draft Michel as a RB3.

7. D.J. Moore, WR, Panthers

Moore is dialed in as the team's new No. 2 wideout opposite Devin Funchess, which puts him fourth in the Cam Newton pecking order behind Funchess, Christian McCaffrey and Greg Olsen. Moore's big-play ability will be a big asset in Norv Turner's downfield passing offense. Draft Moore as a WR5..

8. Michael Gallup, WR, Cowboys

Gallup has lived up to filling the Dez Bryant well so far by catching everything with his size and speed and showing he could be the same kind of scoring threat. With Allen Hurns as the Cowboys' new top seasoned receiver, Gallup can take a quick leap to fantasy relevance as Dak Prescott's eventual go-to guy. Draft Gallup as a WR5.

9. Calvin Ridley, WR, Falcons

Ridley projects as a No. 2 possession receiver opposite Julio Jones with Mohamed Sanu being busier in the slot and Austin Hooper figuring to get more looks from tight end. Ridley's key to rookie value will be whether he's consistentl deployed in the red zone. Draft Ridley as a WR5.

10. Nick Chubb, RB, Browns

Chubb is getting plenty of chances to see if he can eat into the early-down work of free-agent addition Carlos Hyee and given the latter's injury history, Chubb could certainly end up with a big role to complement Duke Johnson Jr. Draft Chubb as a late RB3.

11. Nyheim Hines, RB, Colts

Hines was tabbed for a big role early because of his speed and explosive receiving skiills as the team tries to push its backfield into overdrive without Frank Gore and with Frank Reich. As Marlon Mack is trying to come back from a shoulder injury to lead the committee, Hines continues to develop all-around buzz in an offense not totally settled on playmakers after T.Y. Hilton. Draft Hines as a late RB4.

12. Anthony Miller, WR, Bears

Miller is having a great camp to show that he can be a lot more than Kendall Wright's replacement in the slot, a position rife with targets during Mitchell Trubisky's rookie year. Allen Robinson is the No. 1, but the rest of the receiving corps has no definitive answers. Miller being moved around will help in the quest to get the second-most wideout snaps for Matt Nagy. Draft Miller as a WR5.

13. Jordan Wilkins, RB, Colts

Wilkins is doing his best to carve out a role right there with Mack and Hines. He's a versatile option that Indianapolis could consider for use on any down. Given the Eagles allowed multiple backs to contribute last season with Reich, no one can be ruled out from producing. Draft Wilkins as a early RB5.

14. Mike Gesicki, TE, Dolphins

Gesicki is still learning a lot at once, but he's flashed enough as a receiver and fared well enough as a blocker to stay on track for a key role in the intermediate passing game. With Jarvis Landry gone, Gesicki is working to be the new security blanket underneath for Ryan Tannehill. Draft Gesicki as a TE2.

15. Kalen Ballage, RB Dolphins

Kenyan Drake is the No. 1 for now, but with both Gore and Ballage in the mix, it's hard to believe he'll be straight-up featured for Adam Gase despite a good finish to '17. Ballage's size and speed give him a shot at key touches in passing situations. Draft Ballage as an RB6.

15. Dante Pettis, WR, 49ers

Pierre Garcon (neck) is coming off a scary injury and will turn 32 on Aug. 8, while Trent Taylor (shoulder) is still in the midde of his recovery.. Pettis has wasted no time having a big camp to be on standby for a significant role behind Marquise Goodwin. Watch Pettiis as a WR6.

16. Hayden Hurst, TE, Ravens

The real first-rounder had a minor hiccup with a soft-issue inury in camp, but he's silll way ahead of pure-receiving rookie Mark Andrews overall in the race to displace Nick Boyle and Maxx Williams for good. Hurst is set to start and get the most snaps there, a position that's delivered some solid production for the Ravens in recent past. Draft Hurst as a TE2.

17. James Washington, WR, Steelers

Washington was selected as the Martavis Bryant replacement. Between Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell, Juju Smith-Schuster and Vance McDonald, there might not be as much production to trickle down to Pittsburgh's new No.3, but Washingotn profiles very closely to what Smith-Schuster was coming into the league. Watch Washington as a WR6.

18. Christian Kirk, WR, Cardinals

Kirk has fallen behind Chad Williams and Brice Butler in the battle to get the team's second-most wideout targets behind Larry Fitzgerald. He's a very quick and talented slot opion in the Mohamed Sanu vein, but it might take a while before he can be trusted to contribute with regular snaps. Watch Kirk as a WR6.

19. John Kelly, RB, Rams

Todd Gurley is a superstud who deserves to go No. 1. overall in fantasy. If something were to happen to him, however, Kelly is the guy to target for upside vs. last year's little-used backup, Malcolm Brown. Draft Kelly as a handcuff.

20. Chase Edmonds, RB, Cardinals

David Johnson should come back to dominate after recovering from his wrist injury, but just in case he's hurt again, Edmonds is about to emerge as one of the league's best young No. 2s. Draft Edmonds as a handcuff.

21. Courtland Sutton, WR, Broncos

Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders return as the leading receivers on what should be a run-first, run-oten offense with Case Keenum. Sutton was a surprise pick as a No.3 to replace Cody Latimer, but he carries some late-round flyer with the potential of consistent three-wide sets. Draft Sutton as a WR6.

22. Justin Jackson, RB, Chargers

File the need for insurance behind Melvin Gordon under Gurley and Johnson. Austin Ekeler is the change of pace back, but Jackson, a highly productive back at Northwestern, is the better bet for now to handle key touches should the Wisconsin product Gordon go down. Draft Jackson as a handcuff.

23. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Packers

Between Davante Adams, Jimmy Graham, Randall Cobb and Ty Montgomery, the Packers don't need much out of what will be essentially their otuside No. 2 . Geronimo Allison is in the lead for that role, but it's tenuous given the way Valdes-Scantling splashed in his preseason debut. Consider him with the slight edge over fellow rookies J'Mon Moore and Equanimeous St. Brown. Watch Valdes-Scantling as a WR7t.

24. Dallas Goedert, TE, Eagles

For now, Goedert serves as terrific insurance for Zach Ertz and despite his inexperience, his athleticism makes him already seem like an upgrade in that high-end backup role over Trey Burton. Watch Goedert as TE3.

25. Sam Darnold, QB, Jets

Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson will have trouble starting in '18. Josh Rosen has struggled more than expected. Josh Allen is a project. Darnold with pro-readiness and an underrated offense around him on his side, is getting a longer look to start over Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater in the near future, if not Week 1..Watch Darnold as a QB3.